Finally Did a Roti Cook

[MacEggs]

This was my first ever rotisserie cook on a kettle. 
Got this unit a couple months ago thanks to the teamwork of @LightningBoldtz and @MrHoss .

I got things set-up.
I put some un-lit lump in two homemade baskets, then added about a half chimney of lit lump.  No wood for this cook-up.
After dumping the charcoal, I put the drip pan between the baskets.  One litre of boiling water was added to the pan.










On went the 7 lb chicken.  Just EVOO and S&P was applied.




It pretty much settled in around here for most of the cook.
The intakes were at about one-third to a half open for most of it, then fully open for the last half hour.
At which point I gave the charcoal a bit of a stir, then let things ride.




After one hour ...  I also got the 18 fired up and added potatoes to roast ...






I was getting hungry, so I needed a snack ...






The bird came off after 2 hours.




Removed the "chunks" of stuff from the drip pan, then blended it, and made gravy.








The potatoes were the last thing to come off.  They were about a total of 1.5 hours.




Sans gravy ...




Avec gravy ...




All cozy in the garage ....




This meal was fantastic!  The bird was super moist, and very tasty.
The gravy was not very thick, but had outstanding flavour.  Nothing extra added other than corn starch and water to thicken.

I need to be using this unit more and more. 
I want to try different charcoal set-ups, or maybe different for the last half hour or so to try to achieve some more char and crispier skin.

Hoss and I had a discussion about that very subject earlier this evening.
He has had more roti experience and has also experimented with different set-ups.  I am always open to new ideas.  Thanks, dude. 

[MrHoss]

The plate shots have me hungry again. My roti cooks with poultry have also produced super moist products...it's the crispy skin that has for the most part eluded me. The C and B Lime looks beauty in the garage.

[LightningBoldtz]

Awesome cook, thanks for sharing Mac.  One thing to try is ribs on the roto, they are nice and tender yet have a crisp outside.

[BBQ Jack]

I like those charcoal baskets, I bet they generate a lot of heat when filled with charcoal.

[crowderjd]

Looks awesome.  Well done!

[MacEggs]

@BBQ Jack , yeah the baskets are great.

I designed them so that the foil pan would fit nicely between them with this set-up.

[Winz]

That first shot - where did you get the very rare "Triple lid Weber"?    Have not seen one of those in my neck of the woods 

The rest of those shots are fantastic.  Very informative , and like Hoss, they made me hungry!  Nice cookup.  Your plating skills are impeccable.

I must admit that I am a roti virgin - I keep wanting to buy a unit but just have not found a reason to.  How would you compare the roti cook to a typical snake or indirect cook of a whole chicken?  Is there a major advantage to the roti?  Am I a fool for not buying one long ago?

Winz

[MacEggs]

"Triple lid Weber"? ... Haha!!  All the more reason to have multiple kettles ... No need to lay the lids on the ground.

I have never cooked a whole chicken using the snake / fuse method.  I don't believe it would be hot enough for my liking.
I always prefer to cook chicken indirect, but I like the cooker to be hotter than for most meats done indirect.

My belief with the roti, is that it is self-basting the meat while it turns.  Which probably makes for a much juicier end product.

Next time I will do the following:
Remove the drip pan about a half hour before the estimated finish time.
Then move the two baskets to the center.  Maybe adding some more lit charcoal ..... Maybe? (judgement call)
Hoping that this will create some char and crispy skin for the finish.